The National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) has pledged to concentrate on offering health insurance to Nigerians as part of its efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
In pursuit of this objective, the NHIA has provided training to the staff of the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
While at the training in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State in Northcentral Nigeria, Abubakar Haruna, the Zonal Coordinator, clarified that the training is a cooperative effort between the NHIA and NOA.
He mentioned that the NOA’s role involves aiding the Authority in disseminating information regarding various programs, notably the Group, Individual, Family and Social Health Insurance (GIFSHIP) initiative, to every corner of the state.
Haruna pointed out that the NHIA is utilising the extensive network of NOA offices across the 36 states of the Federation and FCT to extend the reach into rural areas for effectively communicating the Authority’s programs.
Also speaking, the Kwara State Coordinator of NHIA, Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya, explained further that because of the grassroots spread of the NOA, it is expected that they will sensitise the large masses and mobilise them to get into the health insurance policy.
According to him, the agency has a new NHIA Act 2022 signed by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari which makes health insurance mandatory in the nation.
Yahaya therefore said there is then the need for his office in collaboration with NOA to get that message down to the grassroots for people to be aware and be ready to participate in the programmes.
In his reaction, the Kwara State Director of NOA, Mr Olusegun Adeyemi submitted that the Agency will collaborate with NHIA to propagate the mandate of health insurance for all Nigerians.
He expressed the readiness of the Agency in ensuring everybody in Kwara gets captured in the health insurance policy, saying that NOA as an Agency has grassroots reach.
Adeyemi stated that the NHIA is ensuring that NOA can go out, at the state and local government levels to sensitise and educate citizens to buy into the Authority programmes.
According to him, nobody must be left behind as it is compulsory for all Nigerians, whether in the formal or informal sector to be registered to have health insurance.
The Assistant Director, NHIA, Media and Public Relations Unit, Mr Chris Abah pointed out that one of the flagship programmes of GIFSHIP is meant for the grassroots and generality of Nigerians.
According to him, this is an attempt to make sure health insurance is mandatory for all and the country attains the UCH by 2030.
Similarly, the Deputy Director of the Media Unit of the Authority, Hajia Hauwa Sambo, noted that the NHIA Act of 2022 has mandated that 84 per cent of vulnerable groups are captured in health insurance.
She appealed to all Nigerians to ensure they enrol and get captured in the scheme, which will promote the health of the citizens.
